Halman wants answers

March 13, 2019 at 1:22 pm

Dartmouth East MLA Tim Halman wants to know why the NDP don’t want to get to the bottom of the IWK spending scandal.

“Today Susan LeBlanc said she loved a spending scandal as much as the next person,” Halman said. “Well, I don’t love when money meant for a children’s hospital is misspent. That’s why it is so outrageous that the NDP passed up a chance to get answers about what happened at the IWK.”

On February 6, a key witness, IWK CFO Amanda Whitewood, was unable to attend the Public Accounts Committee meeting where the scandal was discussed. The IWK’s President and CEO, Dr. Krista Jangaard, said at the time key pieces of information would not be available due to Ms. Whitewood’s absence. The committee agreed to bring Ms. Whitewood back at a future meeting.

Today NDP MLA LeBlanc moved that Ms. Whitewood not appear and that other business be dealt with. Her motion was supported by the Liberal MLAs on the committee.

“The Liberals have created a situation where the Public Accounts Committee meets just once a month,” Halman said. “That means MLAs are being forced to choose between an Auditor General’s report and determining whether money was taken inappropriately from a children’s hospital.”

Halman noted that every week there is a new surprise at the Public Accounts Committee.

“It’s always a different issue, but it always means information is being hidden from taxpayers,” he concluded.